Latest news in Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, summary. Live

●  On the 326th day of continuous pro-European protests, participants once again blocked Rustaveli Avenue. Police arrested 14 people for blocking the road in front of parliament and “covering their faces.” Among those detained is Vaho Sanaia, a journalist and TV host from the opposition channel Formula. At a briefing, Deputy Interior Minister Aleksandre Darakhvelidze said administrative cases were also opened against 13 more individuals. He added that if similar “illegal” actions are repeated, criminal charges could be brought against all 27.

●  Germany has recalled its ambassador to Georgia, Peter Fischer, for consultations over a “hate campaign launched by the Georgian authorities against the EU and himself.” The EU Foreign Affairs Council is expected to discuss the situation in Georgia. Read more here

●  German Ambassador Peter Fischer: “The Federal Foreign Minister has recalled me for consultations. This is an official diplomatic step to express dissatisfaction with the actions of the Georgian government, which have led to a crisis in German-Georgian relations, and to protest the ongoing disinformation and incitement directed against Germany, the European Union, and myself by the Georgian government and the Georgian Dream party.”

● The State Security Service carried out searches in the homes of former Prime Minister Irakli Garibashvili, former head of the State Security Service Grigol Liluashvili, and former Prosecutor General Otar Partskhaladze, as well as eight individuals linked to them. Read more here

●  Georgia’s fifth president, Salome Zurabishvili: “After months of attacks, Germany has recalled its ambassador, Peter Fischer. This does not mean that Europe is turning away from us. It means they see the Georgian government’s disregard for the will of the people. But the people of Georgia, with courage and hope, are once again choosing Europe.”

●  Georgian Dream Prime Minister Irakli Kobakhidze said the first stage of his announced education reform will be implemented within the next year. “Our goal is to provide students in Georgia with the same quality of higher education as they receive in other countries,” he said. According to him, the second stage will take 3–4 years, depending on various components. Independent experts criticized the reform, with former director of the National Center for Curriculum and Assessment Simon Janashia saying that “the ruling party’s goal with this reform is to strengthen political control over universities and schools.”

●  Today, the movement “Georgian Education in Danger” plans several protest actions in response to the announced education reform. The program includes a briefing, a student rally, and a public forum where people can voice their opinions about the proposed reforms.

●  On October 20–21, President Ilham Aliyev will visit Kazakhstan at the invitation of Kazakh President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev.

●  The speakers of the parliaments of Azerbaijan and Armenia, Sahiba Gafarova and Alen Simonyan, will meet on October 21 during the 151st Inter-Parliamentary Union Assembly in Geneva, Simonyan announced on social media. Their previous meeting took place in April 2025 in St. Petersburg, Russia.

●  Prospects for military cooperation between Azerbaijan and the United States were discussed during a visit to Baku by a U.S. delegation led by Commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Admiral Brad Cooper. At a meeting with President Ilham Aliyev, Cooper congratulated him on progress made in advancing the peace agenda between Azerbaijan and Armenia with the participation of the U.S. President in Washington.

●  Azerbaijani media report that the arrest of former Minister of National Security Eldar Mahmudov is expected on charges of embezzling €29.6 million from the state budget. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, the funds were transferred to his and his close relatives’ accounts in Spain, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and other countries, and were used to purchase movable and immovable property. All these assets were registered under the names of Mahmudov’s wife and children after his appointment as minister, although they had no significant income before that.

A few days ago, former presidential administration chief Ramiz Mehtiyev — previously known as the “gray cardinal” — was arrested in Baku. He is accused of high treason, attempting to seize state power, and large-scale money laundering. More details here

●  In Baku, the head of the Azerbaijani bureau of the Russian state news agency Sputnik, Igor Kartavykh, has been released from custody. Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said he has flown to Moscow. Kartavykh was detained in early July amid a sharp deterioration in relations between Azerbaijan and Russia. The tensions escalated after a Russian air defense system shot down an Azerbaijani passenger plane in December, and Russian special forces killed two Azerbaijani nationals and brutally detained several others in Yekaterinburg in June. More details here

●  Georgia and Azerbaijan are working to establish joint border checkpoints under a “single-window” system, Georgian Finance Minister Lasha Khutsishvili said. He also stressed the importance of completing the final sections of the highway along the borders of Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey to improve regional transport connectivity.

●  Greece more than doubled its imports of Azerbaijani oil in January–September this year. Greece accounted for 2.95% of Azerbaijan’s total oil exports.

●  On the weekend of October 18, Azerbaijan celebrated Independence Restoration Day.

●  Speaker of Armenia’s National Assembly Alen Simonyan will meet with Sahiba Gafarova, Speaker of Azerbaijan’s Milli Majlis, on October 21 in Geneva. Simonyan announced the meeting on his Telegram channel, saying: “We haven’t met for a long time, and I consider this meeting very important in the current situation. I hope it goes well,” he said in a video message from the airport.

●  Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan is heading to Luxembourg today to attend the ministerial meeting “Interregional Security and Connectivity,” organized by the European Union.

●  Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan took part in the canonization ceremony of Archbishop Ignatius Maloyan and six other blessed figures at St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, led by Pope Leo XIV. Pashinyan also attended a reception hosted by His Holiness Patriarch Raphael Bedros XXI, Catholicos-Patriarch of the House of Cilicia. Meetings with the Pope and Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin are also planned during the visit.

●   “Our hearts grieve as we see Archbishops Mikael, Bagrat, Mkrtich, and Samvel Karapetyan arrested on political grounds and false charges,” said Catholicos of All Armenians Garegin II during a church service. “Despite the anti-church and reprehensible actions of the ruling authorities, our Holy Church will remain steadfast, strong, and faithful to its people, continuing its divine mission with devotion, hope, and compassion,” he declared.

●  The civic movement “In Our Way” held a march in Yerevan demanding the release of Russian-Armenian billionaire Samvel Karapetyan, who has been arrested on charges of inciting the overthrow of the government.

Top stories in Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia from 13-17 October, 2025